Paramedics call for shorter night shifts

The Health Services Union says it is hopeful the Industrial Relations Commission can resolve a dispute over 14 hour night shifts at four Hunter ambulance stations, that it claims put patients at risk.

The HSU's Bob Hull says the union's been pushing for 12 hour rosters at Cessnock, Nelson Bay, Belmont and Birmingham Gardens stations, but talks with management yesterday failed to reach an agreement.

Mr Hull says the Ambulance Service has recognised the longer shifts cause fatigue.

"The submissions that were made in that case in the full bench from the ambulance clearly indicated that they thought that people working more than 12 hours were being placed at risk for fatigue etc," he said.

"And that was one of the reasons why they proposed the four by five rostering system."

The Ambulance Service says yesterday's talks were productive and it disagrees with the union's claims that it is stalling the roster changes for financial reasons.